Last time I left Bali for Australia was Nov 2015. I’d been living in Bali for 7 months, and you could tell I was missing the Oz way of life. The first thing I did when I got out of the car when I landed back home was smell the closest bush and take in the fresh air! I was stoked to be home...

Fast forward 18 months, and I was heading back to Bali. A shoot opportunity saw me extend to a two week stay, and I collaborated with the lovely ladies at The Asia Collective to help organise my stay. I have to admit; I was pretty stoked to be heading back. I was craving a cold Bintang, I missed the heat, and the smell as soon as you get off the plane, and I’d just come off two hectic weeks shooting at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. It was time for a bit of island life.

First stop we stayed at Umakayu Villa on Batu Balong in Canggu. My friend and I were absolutely in awe of the place. It was delicate, quaint little bamboo villas amongst a rice paddy and away from the bustle of Bali’s newest scene, Canggu. The staff were beautiful, the villa’s super clean and gave us that island feeling of being somewhere far away from anything. It was pure bliss! Still wanting to stay in Canggu, we had our next two nights at Villa Maz, just near the Canggu Club. The thing that stood out for me with this villa was the bathroom. Outdoor shower, toilet, large mirror and basin. I mean, what more could a girl want right? The pool provided us with some solid entertaining afternoons kicking back in the sunshine and listening to music.

We then had our third stop in Echo Beach at the Sandyha Villas which were about 100m from the beach. The villas are neatly tucked away, and have a very strong architectural vibe with strong concrete pillars and modern walls. The security is amazing here and we loved the outdoor living space. The master bedroom opens right up onto the pool so you can pretty much wake up and dive in!

I was really wanting to get up the coast to a quieter place, so I went up to Bingin and stayed at Melali Bingin which is run by a beautiful Australian couple who live there also. The villa is extremely neat and tidy and there's a large open communal area which has beautiful character. The single villa I was in had it's own plunge pool and a gorgeous outdoor bathroom with great detail in the design. I feel like I fully relaxed here! Super close to the surf, but you do need a motorbike to get around these areas.

For the last two nights of my trip I was fortunate enough to stay at The Edge Bali which was way beyond anything I'd imagined. The complex is literally situated on the cliffs of Southern Bali, and the complex has 5 large villas with a main pool area, bar and spa. We stayed at 'The Mood' where we even had our very own butler! The service was impeccable and the villa had a stunning view of the ocean. The main pool and bar area gave some of the best views I've seen in Bali. The spa area promised a point of difference having about an inch of water as the floor, so you walk through that to get to your treatment.

After two weeks staying in these utterly amazing villas, I wasn't really ready to go home. But reality calls, and I'll always remember this little stint as one of my favourite Bali holidays!

BALI TRIP 2017